Shout out to all my sisters. SAFETY FIRSTI've been wearing a pink ribbon on my ski helmet for a while now in support of Women with Breast Cancer. The pink ribbon is the international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Its my way of showing moral support for boobs everywhere. I lost a close friend to breast cancer about 20 years ago...and the small cloth on the back of my brain bucket is just my way of saying "wut up"? to all my sisters.
BOOBS, BRAINS and BOYS (Click 4 Pix).
You'd be surprised how much commentary I hear about the ribbon. From curious strangers to macho mountain men...i get a lot of questions about it. On the mountain the pink ribbon makes me easy to spot...if you're looking for me...and easy to avoid if you're not. Save the Date: Komen Aspen will host SKI for the CURE on February 9th on Aspen Mountain.
I started wearing a helmet several years ago after striking a tree head first. Earlier this season...my helmet with the pink ribbon probably saved me. At a minimum I avoided a sled trip down Ajax and a $900 ride to the hospital. There was a high-speed "incident". I caught a tip. I was wearing my clown shoes (rockered K2 Sidestashes). It was sort of like stubbing a toe. Travelling at approximately 40 M.P.H. (60 if u have an i phone app) I went airborn and got twisted backwards and slammed the back of my head on the ground...hard...very hard. It was a whiplash situation. Not cool. I was dazed but OK. My glasses were broken, my pole was bent into an L shape and my neck and head hurt from the forceful slam. It was a bad fall...maybe my worst ever. The helmet probably saved me. I got off lucky...thanks to my helmet. Within an hour my glasses were fixed and the guys at Gosuch had heated up my pole and bent it back into shape. Despite a pretty bad headache...I was fine. That was until the next day..when my #2 molar cracked and fell out. Ouch. My helmet saved me. Nothing a dental crown won't fix.
The Boyz were waxed and ready for the 36th edition of Aspen Gay Ski Week. click 4 pix.Soon after the fall I was contacted by OSBE HELMETS. They are famous Italian motorcycle helmet manufacturers...HUGE in Europe. The Osbe guy sent me a message... "you need a new helmet". I already felt guilty because OSBE sent me a pretty sweet helmet last year that I rarely used. I pinged back, "Not really". The guy insisted...told me to pick one out on-line. I flipped through the web site and eye-balled a sick, slick, pink euro-styled topper with a power ranger feel to it. I sent the guy the model number...and 3 days later...there it was on my doorstep...a pink helmet. If you want to SAVE 10% on an Osbe go to OBSE USA and use the promo code ASPENSPIN (all caps).
Friday, I broke the pink bad boy out & wore it to shred on a beautiful Colorado bluebird day. It happened to be the annual day Aspen Gay Ski Week Parade on Aspen Mountain. 2500 gay guys liked my lid. I got a lot of positive commentary on it. The ladies especially liked it. Safe and stylish...all in one. pink package. A female ski friend said "it takes balls to wear a pink helmet". Thanks bro-girl.
Saturday was "SAFETY DAY" on Ajax, sponsored by the National Ski Areas Association the and National Ski Patrol. It's part of the annualon mountain NATIONAL SAFETY WEEK : Jan 19-27. Hot dogs, stickers, avalanche dogs...all to promote safety and especially helmet use.
I didn't need to be convinced. I've learned 3 lessons recently.
1) Protect the head. Wear a helmet. Safety first.
2) Everyone loves Boobs. Men, Women, babies...so support Breast Cancer Awareness.
3) Boys will be Boys. Aspen GSW confirmed that it's probably the hardest partying, highest spending, fastest living week of the season. Aspen thanks GSW, see you next year.
The cold snap broke and it warmed up to 30 but we're all still praying for POW here in Aspen. The Aussies and the Brazillians are helping pump up our economy. Aspen GSW was back in style for the 36th year. As always the guys treated themselves royally in aspen. Next week is X Games...so we'll be going HUGE again.
In Aspen, Colorado the action never stops....and thats why we love it.
BOOBS, BRAINS and BOYS (click 4 pix)
Jane the Avalanche Dog was showing off her training at Safety Day on Ajax. Click 4 Pix.
Free Hot Dogs for Safety Day on Aspen Mountain. The Ski Patrol in Aspen is fantastic. Click 4 Pix.
The festive ski parade in Aspen for Gay Ski Week. Click for pix.
January 26, 2013 
Louis-Felix Paradis crushed the Snowboard Street course in Aspen. Photo: Pete Demos / ESPN Images
Gold, Bowman, Silver, Groenewoud , Bronze, Gunning. Medals presented by Aspen & skiing legend Klaus Obermeyer. Photo: Gabriel Christus ESPN Images.
Torstein Horgmo went HUGE to win Snowboard Big Air. Photo: Scott Clarke / ESPN Images
David Wise soared in Ski Super Pipe taking home his second consecutive Gold. Photo: Eric Bakke ESPN Images.
